Vehicle running-gear.



A. A. MERRILL.

- VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13,1910.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

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AUGUSTUS A. MERRILL, OF PIONEER, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. C.BARNES, 0F ROLFE, IOWA.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

Application filed July 13, 1910.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS A. Mnnmnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pioneer, in the county of Humboldt and State of Iowa, haveinvented a certain new and useful Vehicle Running-Gear, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a vehicle running gear in whichthe forward bolster is mounted in such a manner that it may have aslight tilting movement from side to side and the turn table under thebolster is so arranged that it may move freely at all times so that theaxle may be turned at an angle relative to the bolster and also toprovide a turn table in which the parts may at all times be accuratelyfitted to avoid rattling and undue wear, and then after wear has takenplace the parts may be readjusted to closely fit, and further to providemeans whereby the parts of the turn table may be readily and easilydetached for the purpose of repair or replacement.

A further object is to provide improved means for connecting the reachbetween the sand board and front axle so that the axle is permitted alimited movement relative to the reach in a direction with either end ofthe axle tilting upwardly or in a direction with the axle tiltingforwardly or rearwardly relative to a vertical line and at the same timepermitting the axle to have a pivotal movement relative to the reach.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction,arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical, central, longitudinal, sectional view throughthe forward portion of a vehicle running gear embodying my invention.Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of a vehicle running gear embodying myinvention, a portion of said view being shown in section to illustratethe details of construction. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged, detail, sectionalview of the turn table. Fig. 4.

shows an enlarged, detail, sectional view of the bearings for supportingthe bolster plate. Fig. 5 shows a top or plan view of the bolster plateand the top of the turn table. Fig. 6 shows a plan view of one of thewashers for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Serial No. 571,863.

the turn table, and Fig. 7 shows a plan view of the two-part bottomplate of the turn table.

Referring to'the accompanying drawings, I have used the referencenumeral 10 to indicate the front axle of a vehicle running gear havingwheels 11 mounted thereon. Above the front axle are the hounds 12 andabove the hounds is a sandboard 13, the axle, hounds and sandboard beingfirmly connected by bolts 14. All of these parts are of the ordinaryconstruction now in general use.

I provide for connect-ing a reach with the front axle as follows:Mounted between the axle 10 and the sandboard 13 are two plates 15 and16. These plates are held in position by means of bolts 17*, which boltsextend through the front axle and both of the lates 15 and 16 as shownin Fig. 2. Each of said plates is provided at its central portion with amounted or convex bearing surface 17 an between these bearing surfacesis a metal bar 18 having a head 19 which is made convex on both itsupper and lower surfaces to fit against the convex bearing surfaces ofsaid plates. An opening is provided through the center of the head 19and a lug 20 formed on the lower plate is extended through said opening,said opening in the head 19 being somewhat larger than the lug to permitthe front axle to tilt relative to the bar 18 to a limited extent. Fixedto the rear of the bar 18 is a reach 21 of ordinary construction. Bymeans of this arrangement it is obvious that the front axle will have apivotal movement relative to the reach and it is also obvious that thefront axle may have either end tilt vertically to a limited extent orthe axle may tilt forwardly and relative to a vertical line to a limitedextent thus preventing binding movements of the head 19 relative to therounded bearing surfaces 17 of the plates 15 and 16. It is to beunderstood in this connection that the tilting movements just describedare ordinarily very slight and yet unless some play is provided theseslight tilting movements will tend to wear out the lug 20. By myimproved construction wear upon said lug is prevented and the parts maybe used for a comparatively long time without repair or replacement.

Between the sandboard and the bolster it is necessary to provide a turntable so that the axle may turn relative to the wagon body. My improvedturn table device comprises a stationary base plate 22 secured to thesandboard by means of bolts 23, said bolts also extending through theaxles. The periphery of this plate is provided with an outwardlyextended annular shoulder 24 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Rotatablymounted relative to this stationary plate 28 is a rotatable base plate25 having an annular flange or rib 26 extended under the flange 24. Thisrotatable plate 25 is preferably made in two parts as clearly shown inFig. 7 so that either half of the plate may be detached withoutdisturbing the other. The rotatable turn table member also comprises atop plate 27 connected with the rotatable bottom plate 25 by means ofbolts 28. Between the plates 25 and 27 is a series of thin metalshoulders 29, each of which is divided transversely into two parts asclearly shown in Fig. 6. The bolts 28 are extended through theseshoulders.

In order to provide for lubricating the joint between the stationarybase plate 22 and the rotatable members of the turn table I provide anoil cup 30 of ordinary construction in the top plate 27 to discharge oilto the space between the top plate 27 and the stationary base plate 22.By means of this arrangement a turn table is provided in which there isa minimum of lost motion and hence there will be no rattling or noise;and further, the working parts of the turn table will be protected fromdust and mud so that the parts will work freely relative to each otherand by providing an oil cup these parts may be constantly lubricated toturn easily.

In the event that excessive wear has taken place between the workingparts the operator need only remove the bolts 28, whereupon one or moreof the washers may be detached to thereby permit a readjustment of theparts to make them fit snugly to each other.

On top of the plate 27 of the turn table are two bearings 30 Each ofthese bearings is held to the plate by means of bolts 31, as shown inFig. 4, and between the bearings and the plate 27 is a washer 32 whichmay be removed to permit readjustment of the bearings. Between thebearings 30 is a bolster plate 33 having journals 34 fixed to it andextended into the bearings 30 These journals are so arranged, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2, that the ends of the bolster plate may tilt slightlyrelative to the top plate 27 of the turn table, this tilting movementhowever being limited from the ends of the bolster plate to strike uponthe plate 27. This bolster plate is secured to the bolster 35 by meansof the bolts 36.

In practical use it is obvious that the connection between the reach andthe front axle is such that a limited tilting movement will be permittedfor the front axle and the front axle may freely rotate relative to thereach thus preventing binding strains upon the reach. The bolster issecurely connected to the front axle and yet it is permitted to have aslight tilting movement and also a rotary movement relative to the frontaxle. In the event that wear should take place the washers between themembers of the turn table can be removed to provide for readjustment andat all times the turn table has its parts snugly fitted together in sucha manner as to avoid rattling and undue wear and the turn table isprotected from dust and mud and it is so arranged that it may bethoroughly lubricated at all times.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vehicle running gear, the combination of an axle, a sandboardabove the axle and connected with it, plates fitted to the adjacentsurfaces of the sandboard and axle, and having convex central portions,a reach having a head on one end provided with convex upper and lowersurfaces and fitted between the convex surfaces of said plates, and alug for pivotally connecting said head between said plates.

2. A vehicle running gear, comprising an axle, a sandboard, houndsbetween the axle and sandboard, bolts connecting the sand board, thehounds and the axle, two plates fitted to the adjacent surfaces of thesand board and axle, said plates being provided at their centralportions with convex bearing surfaces, a reach, a head on the reachhaving convex upper and lower surfaces in engagement with the convexbearing surfaces of said plates, bolts for connecting said plates withthe axle, and a lug formed on the lower one of said plates and extendingthrough said head on the reach, the opening in the reach to receive saidbolt being larger than the bolt to permit tilting movements of the frontaxle relative to the reach, for the purposes stated.

3. I11 a vehicle running gear, the combination of an axle, a sandboardconnected with the axle, a stationary turn-table plate connected withthe sandboard, a rotary turntable member rotatably mounted on thestationary one, a bolster connected with the rotary turn-table plate,hounds between the axle and the sandboard, bolts connecting thesandboard, the hounds and the axle, two plates fitted to the adjacentsurfaces of the sandboard and axle, said plates being provided at theircentral portions with convex bearing surfaces, a reach, a head on thereach having convex upper and lower surfaces in engagement with theconvex bearing surfaces of said plates, bolts for connecting said plateswith the axle, and a lug formed on the lower one of said plates andextending through said head on the reach, substantially as described,and for the purposes stated.

4. In a vehicle running gear, the combination of an axle, a sandboardconnected with the axle, hounds between the sandboard and axle, astationary turn-table plate mounted on the axle, a rotary turn-tableplate mounted on the stationary one, a bolster, a plate upon which saidbolster is mounted, said plate being designed to be pivotally mounted inbearings on the rotary turn-table plate to allow a slight tiltingmovement of the bolster, two plates fitted to the adjacent surfaces ofthe sandl l a board and axle, said plates being provided at theircentral portions with convex bearing surfaces, a reach, a head on thereach having convex upper and lower surfaces in engagement with theconvex bearing surfaces of said plates, bolts for connecting said plateswith the axle, and a lug formed on the lower plate and extending throughthe head on the reach, substantially as described and for the purposesstated.

Des Moines, Iowa, June 30, 1910.

AUGUSTUS A. MERRILL. Witnesses OLIVER NEWTON, L. E. DOLDER.

